Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI)

Think of yourself as a learner. Read each statement carefully. Consider if the statement is true or false as it generally
applies to you when you are in the role of a learner (student, attending classes, university etc.)
Check () True or False as appropriate. When finished all statements, apply your responses to the Scoring Guide.

True False

1. I ask myself periodically if I am meeting my goals. ✓

2. I consider several alternatives to a problem before I answer. ✓

3. I try to use strategies that have worked in the past. ✓

4. I pace myself while learning in order to have enough time. ✓

5. I understand my intellectual strengths and weaknesses. ✓

6. I think about what I really need to learn before I begin a task ✓

7. I know how well I did once I finish a test. ✓

8. I set specific goals before I begin a task. ✓

9. I slow down when I encounter important information. ✓

10. I know what kind of information is most important to learn. ✓

11. I ask myself if I have considered all options when solving a problem. ✓

12. I am good at organizing information. ✓

13. I consciously focus my attention on important information. ✓

14. I have a specific purpose for each strategy I use. ✓

15. I learn best when I know something about the topic. ✓

16. I know what the teacher expects me to learn. ✓

17. I am good at remembering information. ✓

18. I use different learning strategies depending on the situation. ✓

19. I ask myself if there was an easier way to do things after I finish a task. ✓

20. I have control over how well I learn. ✓

21. I periodically review to help me understand important relationships. ✓

22. I ask myself questions about the material before I begin. ✓

23. I think of several ways to solve a problem and choose the best one. ✓

24. I summarize what I’ve learned after I finish. ✓

True False
 25. I ask others for help when I don’t understand something. ✓

26. I can motivate myself to learn when I need to ✓

27. I am aware of what strategies I use when I study. ✓

28. I find myself analyzing the usefulness of strategies while I study. ✓

29. I use my intellectual strengths to compensate for my weaknesses. ✓

30. I focus on the meaning and significance of new information. ✓

31. I create my own examples to make information more meaningful. ✓

32. I am a good judge of how well I understand something. ✓

33. I find myself using helpful learning strategies automatically. ✓

34. I find myself pausing regularly to check my comprehension. ✓

35. I know when each strategy I use will be most effective. ✓

36. I ask myself how well I accomplish my goals once I’m finished. ✓

37. I draw pictures or diagrams to help me understand while learning. ✓

38. I ask myself if I have considered all options after I solve a problem. ✓

39. I try to translate new information into my own words. ✓

40. I change strategies when I fail to understand. ✓

41. I use the organizational structure of the text to help me learn. ✓

42. I read instructions carefully before I begin a task. ✓

43. I ask myself if what I’m reading is related to what I already know. ✓

44. I reevaluate my assumptions when I get confused. ✓

45. I organize my time to best accomplish my goals. ✓

46. I learn more when I am interested in the topic. ✓

47. I try to break studying down into smaller steps. ✓

48. I focus on overall meaning rather than specifics. ✓

49. I ask myself questions about how well I am doing while I am learning ✓
something new.

50. I ask myself if I learned as much as I could have once I finish a task. ✓

51. I stop and go back over new information that is not clear. ✓

52. I stop and reread when I get confused. ✓

This survey and scoring guide are attributed to Schraw, G. & Dennison, R.S. (1994). Assessing metacognitive awareness.

Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19, 460-475.

Metacognitive Awareness Inventory (MAI) Scoring Guide
Directions
For each True, give yourself 1 point in the Score column.
For each False, give yourself 0 points in the Score column.
Total the score of each category and place in box. Read the descriptions relating to each section.

KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COGNITION

This survey and scoring guide are attributed to Schraw, G. & Dennison, R.S. (1994). Assessing metacognitive awareness.
Contemporary Educational Psychology, 19, 460-475.
REGULATION OF COGNITION
PLANNING PLANNING SCORE
• Planning, goal setting, and allocating resources prior to 4. I pace myself while learning in order to have learning
enough time.

6. I think about what I really need to learn before I

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES begin a task.
• Skills and strategy sequences used to process information
8. I set specific goals before I begin a task. more
efficiently (e.g., organizing, elaborating, summarizing, selective focusing) 22. I ask myself questions
about the material before I begin.

COMPREHENSION MONITORING 23. I think of several ways to solve a problem and

• Assessment of one’s learning or strategy use choose the best one.

DEBUGGING STRATEGIES 42. I read instructions carefully before I begin a task.

• Strategies to correct comprehension and performance errors

45. I organize my time to best accomplish my goals.
EVALUATION
 Analysis of performance and strategy effectiveness after a

learning episode TOTAL 7

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SCORE COMPREHENSION MONITORING SCORE

9. I slow down when I encounter important 1. I ask myself periodically if I am meeting my goals. information.
13. I consciously focus my attention on important 2. I consider several alternatives to a problem before information.
I answer.
30. I focus on the meaning and significance of new 11. I ask myself if I have considered all options when
information. solving a problem.
31. I create my own examples to make information 21. I periodically review to help me understand
more meaningful. important relationships.
37. I draw pictures or diagrams to help me 28. I find myself analyzing the usefulness of strategies understand
while learning. while I study.
39. I try to translate new information into my own 34. I find myself pausing regularly to check my words.
comprehension.
41. I use the organizational structure of the text 49. I ask myself questions about how well I am doing to
help me learn while learning something new.
43. I ask myself if what I’m reading is related to what I already know.
47. I try to break studying down into smaller steps. 48. I focus on overall meaning rather than specifics.

TOTAL 10 TOTAL 7
DEBUGGING STRATEGIES SCORE EVALUATION SCORE
25. I ask others for help when I don’t understand 7. I know how well I did once I finish a test. something.
40. I change strategies when I fail to understand. 19. I ask myself if there was an easier way to do
things after I finish a task.
44. I re-evaluate my assumptions when I get confused. 24. I summarize what I’ve learned after I finish.
51. I stop and go back over new information that is 36. I ask myself how well I accomplish my goals once
not clear. I’m finished.
52. I stop and reread when I get confused. 38. I ask myself if I have considered all options after I
solve a problem.
50. I ask myself if I learned as much as I could have once
 I finish a task.

TOTAL 5 T OTAL 6